The Night After
by Tempee08
Summary: Set after the 3XK episode. Recaps the ending of the episode and how Beckett struggles to cope. Will Beckett finally let Castle in ? First Chapter up, Rated M just in case, nothing too full on yet, reviews are very much appreciated :  x


**Set after the 3XK episode, but for those that missed it, I've gone over the last scene from Beckett's perspective, but it's best to have seen the episode; it'll make more sense. **

**I'm not sure where this is headed just yet, I'm simply going with the flow of where the characters take me. If you have any suggestions at all, let me know, I'm happy to accept ideas :)**

**Hopefully, the next chapter should be up soon, I'm on holiday at the moment and as such, I have lots of free time on my hands.**

**Reviews would be superb, they really make my day :) And they provide inspiration for me to write faster ;) So if you like it, let me know ! If you don't, let me know and provide some helpful tips :) **

**Thanks, and enjoy :) x**

Beckett

That night, I went home and wrapped myself in my quilts, trying my hardest to warm myself up. The fear I had felt as it had dawned on me that we had the wrong guy, that the real triple killer was with Castle and Ryan chilled me to the core. I had leapt up and shrieked to the rest of the team that we needed to be at that apartment _now. _

Then my phone had begun to ring.

Not recognizing the number, I braced myself, ready to get the tech guys in on the call if it was Jerry.

"Beckett."

"It's Martha, look I hate to bother you but I just had an odd phone call from Richard. Please tell me he's with you, because if he's not..." She hesitated, her voice radiating concern. "Then something must be terribly wrong."

"No, he's not but we're about to go and get him. What did he say?" I grabbed my gun and ran out of the door, the rest of the team following in hot pursuit.

"He told me he loved me." Martha's voice choked up and my heart began to thunder in my chest.

"Martha I'm about to go to where he is supposed to be, and I promise you I'll call you as soon as I get there, okay?" I knew Castle would have already told her about the case, so I decided that there wasn't enough time to go through details.

Not when Castle could be...

I immediately banished the thought from my head. There was no way Castle could be dead. There was no time for thoughts like that. I yelled out for everyone to hurry up as I jumped in the car and we pulled out, lights and sirens blaring.

Esposito jumped out of the car, and I followed closely. Without a second thought or a glance towards the rest of the team, I hit the stairs at a sprint. It took me until I reached the top of the stairs to remember we were entering a risky and dangerous situation and that I was a cop, not a mad woman about to run into such a situation blind and without a weapon.

I slowed down a fraction and pulled my gun and torch, aiming it at the apartment door. I became aware of the rest of the team behind me, knowing that Esposito was as worried as I was; Ryan was his partner, Castle was mine.

My foot connected with the door and it blew open, jarring my leg painfully. The first thing that I saw was Castle, slumped to the side, his face turned away from me. Not moving.

"Castle!" I yelled, and the adrenaline coursed through my veins as my voice hitched and the fear almost knocked the air from my lungs.

He couldn't be...

Then, he moved. "Clear. He's gone. I'm fine. Ryan needs an ambulance." There was something strange about the way he spoke. He sounded vague, distant, defeated. His normal liveliness was gone.

My heart pounded and my legs turned to jelly as I took in the room. Castle was tied to a chair; Ryan was sprawled on the ground, hands tied. My knees shook as I shone my torch around the room.

Esposito went straight to Ryan as he called out weakly "No, I don't" with a groan in his voice.

Esposito said gently "Hey, what the hell happened here?" He put his gun down to help him.

I went over to Castle and went about untying his wrists, which proved more difficult than usual; my hands were trembling.

I frowned, glad he couldn't see my face. I wasn't prepared to make eye contact yet. I began the battle to contain my internal chaos as I let my hands brush his warm skin, allowing myself to realize that he was okay, he wasn't dead.

"I'm so glad that you're okay." I breathed, slightly out of breath after my mad dash to the apartment.

"He's the triple killer. He set Gates up to be a copycat." Castle sounded angry and upset.

Suddenly I found myself going back into the formality of a police officer. I grabbed all of the fear and emotions and put them away, to be dealt with later. I straightened up.

"I know. I did the math when you and Ryan didn't come back from talking to Jerry." I still struggled to catch my breath, not meeting his eye.

He frowned. "How did you know to come here?"

I took a deep breath. "Your mum called. She said that you told her that you loved her and she figured something must be terribly wrong."

He nodded. "I figured she might."

Then a few seconds later he mumbled "Good girl" and looked away.

I wondered briefly if he was talking about me or Martha, before mentally slapping myself. Of course he was talking about Martha. I shook my head and helped him up before checking to make sure that Ryan was okay.

We went out to the ambulance, where they drilled Castle before finally giving him the okay. Ryan was told to sit down so that they could take care of him. Castle quietly excused himself and walked towards the brilliant blue swimming pool.

I glanced at Esposito, who jerked his head in Castle's general direction. "Go make sure he's okay. I'll stay with Ryan."

I shook my head. "No, I think he just wants to be left alone." I mumbled.

Ryan's head instantly rose. "Beckett. I heard what that son of a bitch said to him. Trust me, as much as he won't admit it, he doesn't want to be alone right now. And you're the one he wants to see." His tone was quiet, gentle. His eyes were filled with guilt.

I left without another word, knowing that they swapped meaningful looks behind my back. I felt their eyes follow me as I made Castle a coffee and all the way to the pool.

I sat down next to Castle's unmoving form. He was gazing distantly over the water that was lit up by the blue pool light. I handed him the Styrofoam cup, avoiding his eyes.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

There was one question that was bothering me and I couldn't help but ask. Without looking at his face, I began to speak.

"Tell me something Castle. Why did he let you live?"

"To punish me." His voice was quiet, yet he sounded pained.

His reply shocked me and I turned immediately to find that he was already looking at me. Our eyes locked and we connected instantly. His eyes were filled with pain, frustration, anger and guilt. I knew the same things were reflected in my eyes. We had this guy in our fingertips, yet he managed to slip away. It was a horrible feeling.

Castle continued.

"To make me pay for ruining his plan." He looked away again. "Now he's going to kill again all because I couldn't stop him. And I feel so..."

He trailed off, his last words almost whispered. My throat caught as he struggled to finish. I did the only thing that seemed right.

I gently reached out and put my hand on his knee, trying to convey some comfort to the man I valued so much.

"I know the feeling."

"I know you do." His warm hand grasped mine, holding on as though for dear life itself. His thumb absentmindedly stroked my hand, and we shared all of the mixed emotions through the tiny connection.

We sat in silence, and I wondered if things would be the same. If Jerry would be back in action anytime soon.

That's how I found myself shivering in my bed after we had all been escorted home. I was reliving the horrible moment when I broke the door and saw Castle, the way my voice came out a desperate plea to him to still be alive. I knew that he would have realized how terrified I was by the tone of my voice. I knew, looking back, that my voice was raw fear, pure emotion.

I felt the first tear run down my cheek as the clock hit one forty-three in the morning. Much like the hole in a dam, the first tear made way for the flood of tears that followed as those emotions that I had boxed away made their appearance once more.

I cried and cried, curled up into the fetal position, my gun in the bed next to my feet.

When I finally composed myself, I remembered about the officer that was posted outside my apartment door. I blushed, realizing that he would have heard my breakdown. I crawled out of bed with my gun in my hand, wiping my eyes.

I opened the door and sure enough, a young officer with sandy blond hair and brown eyes stood there, looking slightly uncomfortable. I smiled bleakly at him and he shifted, his eyes filled with sympathy.

"You can go home if you like, I'll be fine."

He shook his head. "No ma'am, I have been told not to leave here tonight. So I'm sorry, but I intend to follow my orders." His speech was formal, but his tone was gentle.

I smiled and held up the gun. "Don't worry officer, I'm armed. I'll be fine. You can inform your supervising officer that I am a police officer and I don't need an armed guard. Besides, wouldn't you rather be in bed?"

He swallowed and looked at his feet. "Yes ma'am, I would love to be in bed. But, I'm not here on just my commanding officer's orders. One Mr. Richard Castle personally instructed me to stay put, he told me that you would come and try to talk me into leaving. He said I was to stay no matter what you told me. Sorry."

His eyes twinkled a bit as he spoke and my heart warmed slightly to know that Castle was concerned for me. But I broke out my most severe frown, hoping to scare away the young officer.

"Well he knows I'm armed and I won't tell him that you've left if you don't."

The officer now broke out into a full grin. "He said you'd say that too."

I frowned. "Well I am in no need of your services, so I think it would be far better if you went home to bed. But, I guess I shouldn't argue. After all, it is past two in the morning. But, if you change your mind and decide you'd rather be at home, just knock on the door and let me know."

I smiled and he nodded, before I shut the door and locked it before shuffling back to bed and crying some more.

About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I smiled triumphantly to myself, knowing that the officer had given in. I walked to the door and unlocked it, but was unprepared for what stood in the doorway.

Castle was standing in track pants with a plain grey shirt. He also wasn't wearing any shoes. He looked as tired as I felt; his eyes had bags under them. The events of the day had left us all sleepless.

I opened my mouth, slightly shocked. "Castle, what are you doing here?"

He looked down, the ghost of a smile gracing his lips. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

I checked my watch. It was quarter to three, hardly the time to make social calls.

"At this time?" I said quietly, noticing the officer standing to the side.

"Well, I knew you'd try to send the officer home when you were at your worst. And so, I asked this kind young man to give me a call when you did. I didn't want you to be alone. So as soon as I got the call, I got in the car and came here." He mumbled, looking slightly apprehensive, as though I was going to criticize him for being overprotective.

I was beyond arguing with him, so I opened the door wider and let him past me.

He went straight to the kitchen and made hot chocolates while I went to the bathroom. As I turned on the light I caught my own reflection in the mirror and gasped. My hair was a mess and my mascara had run, my nose was red and my eyes bloodshot. It was obvious that I had been crying.

I did my best to clean up the mascara and brushed my hair before heading back to the kitchen.

Castle had sat down at the bench, two steaming mugs next to his arm.

I picked one up and took a quick sip of the scalding milk. It was divine; creamy and rich yet not too overpowering.

We took a moment to sit in comfortable silence, stealing brief glances at each other.

He took a deep breath in. "Beckett, are you okay?" He said quietly, his voice portraying his concern.

I smiled slightly and shrugged. He stood up and walked a little closer.

"Talk to me." I looked up, finally meeting his eyes. He was so worried, when I was the one that should have worried about him. He was the one taken hostage. He was the one at gunpoint.

"I'm just angry, that's all." I lied, gritting my teeth as he looked me over with his piercing gaze.

"You don't look angry to me. That officer, he told me he heard you crying. And you have been crying. I'm here for you, you can talk to me you know." He turned to face me, so that he was looking me directly in the eye.

He reached out and took my hand softly, enclosing it with his own. I hadn't touched him since we had sat by the pool and the fear all came flooding back in an instant.

He must have seen it in my eyes as I began to hyperventilate, the panic hitting me like a brick.

He let go but stepped closer, so we were only a few centimeters apart. "You're killing me here Kate, let me help you." He whispered.

I couldn't help but look up as he spoke my first name with such tenderness. I met his eyes, knowing mine were filled with tears. Suddenly I was in his arms, holding him as tight as I possibly could. I wasn't sure who had initiated the hug, all I knew was that I could feel his heart beating through his chest and could hear him breathing. He radiated warmth and comfort and I clung to him as though he was my life support.

"I thought I'd lost you." I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. "When I opened that door, you were slumped over, you didn't move and I thought you were..."

I trailed off. I knew he understood without me having to tell him.

He held me closer, sharing his warmth. I finally allowed myself to relax into his arms, and I melted into the curve of his body. He nuzzled his face into my hair and spoke gently into my ear.

"Will you sleep if I stay and watch over you?"

I nodded slightly, and he began to walk me towards the couch, not breaking the hug.

I stepped back and shook my head, taking him by the hand and leading him into my bedroom.

He swallowed nervously and slowed down. "Kate, are you sure you don't mind me being in your bedroom? I mean, it's okay, I'll stay on the couch."

I said nothing, just kept walking, still holding his hand.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and he stood awkwardly, unsure of how to act now that he was here. I motioned for him to sit.

He looked at me, catching my eye and holding it.

"Kate, you know that I wouldn't ever do anything to make you uncomfortable, right?"

I smiled a bit. "I know Castle; you wouldn't be here if I didn't trust you."

I crawled back and got under the quilt. He sat there for a bit and we just watched each other, studying the other's face. Castle looked older, his usually bright face matured without the look of boyish joy on his face. He wasn't cracking jokes or making up absurd stories, he was making sure I was safe.

I watched him until his eyelids began to droop, and it was then I sat up and moved closer, touching him gently on the arm.

"Castle." I whispered.

He jerked awake. "What! What's going on? Is everything alright?" He looked worried and slightly dazed.

I smiled. "No, everything's fine. But you're sleeping where you're sitting. Get in, and get some sleep."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure? I can grab the couch if you'd prefer..." He sounded so unsure and nervous that I almost felt like laughing.

"If you leave neither one of us will sleep, so just get in." I lowered my eyes and looked away before meeting his cautious gaze.

"Castle, please?" I pleaded.

He frowned before slowly slipping under the quilt. He lay down next to me, and we lay so that we were facing each other.

"I'm sorry." He whispered finally, breaking the silence.

"For what?" I whispered back.

"For scaring you."

His voice was filled with remorse, and I knew that although he had nothing to apologize for, he felt bad knowing that I was scared of losing him, that we had come that close to losing one another.

I smiled and tucked the quilt under my chin, allowing myself to relax as I watched Castle begin to doze off. Before long, my eyelids grew heavy and I too succumbed to the hazy warmth of sleep.

I sighed, cozy and content as I slowly began to wake up. My head felt heavy and groggy, the aftermath of my crying session. Yet I was so warm and comfortable, the quilt was tucked under my chin, shrouding me in a warm bubble.

Suddenly, I realized the position I was lying in and remembered with a jolt that I was not the only one in my bed.

Castle's arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me in close so that I fit perfectly into the curve of his body. The memories of the night before came flooding back, and I clearly remembered falling asleep on opposite ends of the bed. What I didn't remember was the point at which Castle and I had become so intimately entwined.

I froze, unsure of what to do.

Castle continued to breathe deeply and slowly, and as I couldn't see his face, I assumed that he was still asleep. So I managed to convince myself to relax. His body radiated heat and filled the air with his smell, which I found oddly relaxing.

I inhaled deeply, feeling myself relax as I calmed myself. _It's nothing, _I told myself, _he's asleep; he doesn't even know what he's doing._

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. It read four-twenty. I relaxed, praying that I wouldn't get called into work. The last thing Montgomery had told me was that unless something came up, he didn't want to see me at work.

And for once, I didn't feel like objecting to his orders.

Castle's arms tightened around me slightly, pulling me in closer. His face nuzzled into my neck, burying into my hair. He sighed, barely stirring, before becoming still.

My skin prickled at the intimacy of the situation, before I scolded myself again, remembering he was just asleep, that he was unaware of his actions.

I found myself nodding off, my conscious thoughts trailing away as I slept peacefully in Castle's arms.

Castle

I knew she had woken when I felt her whole body tense against mine. I had opened my eyes to find Kate Beckett wrapped in my arms, in such a personal manner that I had barely believed what I was seeing.

I knew that staying in that position was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. I decided I'd stay there until she woke up, until she pushed me away when she realized what was happening.

And when the moment came that she stirred from sleep, I expected her to leap out of bed and leave, or at least push me away. But somehow, she didn't.

I kept my breathing even, hoping she didn't realize I was awake. I felt her slowly unwind and relax, melting slightly into my arms.

I knew the cogs in her head were turning and I could almost hear her thought process.

And when she let out a tiny sigh and relaxed completely, I couldn't help myself.

I pulled her in closer, surprised when she made no objections. Letting out a tiny sigh, I moved forward, burying my nose into her hair and resting against her neck. When she didn't move, I almost smiled, shocked that she was still okay, that she wasn't flying from the bed and running away. As soon as she woke, I knew I would move, and allow her to think I was asleep for the whole thing, and so she would have the choice to bring it up or not.

Her breathing soon evened out and I knew she had gone back to sleep. I gently pressed my lips against her neck before allowing sleep to overtake me once more.

Beckett

When I woke up again, I glanced at the clock, which read six o'clock. I resisted the urge to groan. My body was so fine tuned that even without an alarm clock; I woke at six every morning. Castle was still wrapped around me and I began to think about the best way to disarm the situation without waking him.

But before I had a chance to panic, he slowly rolled over, stretching out. I gasped as the warm space he had taken up beside me filled with cold air. I rolled so I could watch his face, which still seemed peaceful.

I studied him closely. I had never seen him asleep before, and he looked different; slightly older somehow.

Slowly, his eyes opened.

"Hey." He mumbled softly, a small smile finding his lips.

I smiled. "Morning Castle." I said softly, pulling up the quilt to my chin.

He stretched out, yawning and flexing his muscles. I smiled, watching him, content to just observe his movements.

My head still felt full of sawdust after crying so hard the previous night, but I felt a little better. I had the proof that Castle was okay, that he didn't get shot, that he wasn't dead. That proof was slowly wriggling closer as he pulled the quilts over himself once more.

He grinned. "So have you got anything in this house that is edible or would we rather not risk food poisoning?" His voice was cheeky and mischievous yet it was still gentle.

I laughed, blushing slightly. My cupboards and fridge were normally bare as I was always on call. "I'm not sure; you might be able to find something."

We climbed out of bed and I looked around for my robe. I turned around to find him looking at me.

He smiled slightly, his eyes searching my face, looking into my eyes.

I felt my breath hitch and my face blush madly under his piercing gaze and I swallowed. "What Castle?"

He walked forward slowly, and I felt myself begin to panic. He stopped walking just in front of me, close enough that I was almost face to face. Ever so gently, he brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes before trailing his fingers down my jaw.

"I hate seeing you like this." He whispered, and it was then I finally noticed the pain in his eyes. "I hate seeing you hurt."

My heart was racing, the blood pounding in my ears. His fingers were so warm and I found myself sighing at his touch. I frowned slightly.

"But, you were the one..."

He nodded, moving almost unbearably close.

"I was the one taken hostage I know. But I worried you. I heard your voice when you broke down the door. I felt your pain radiating from you like a siren." His voice broke slightly.

"Castle." I murmured, my eyes filling up with tears.

"I hated hearing that panic and fear in your voice and seeing you so torn apart like that last night. Kate, it broke my heart." His eyes were wide and full of sorrow.

The first tear fell, running down my face. His breath came out shaky as he wiped it away for me.

"You see? I can't bear to see you like this. I wish..." His voice choked up and he swallowed. "I wish I could take away this pain for you."

"Rick." I breathed, my heart racing as more tears began to stream down my face. This was what I had almost lost, this wonderful, thoughtful, remarkable man.

He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms. I threw away all of the doubts that clouded my mind and hugged him as tightly as I could, once again allowing the tears to overtake me. I sobbed, squeezing my eyes shut as he held onto me.

We stood together, wrapped up in our embrace until my sobs faded to quiet sniffles. His grip loosened slightly but he never let go.

Finally, I allowed myself to move back a bit, still holding him. I tried to wipe my eyes but my hands were shaking too much. My face felt puffy and swollen, my eyes were on fire.

He gently moved my hand before wiping the tears away tenderly.

Then, in another surprising act of affection he gently pressed his lips to my forehead, caressing my cheek with his hand.

My heart leapt, my stomach fluttered. Much like the first time he kissed me, on the cheek, I was rendered speechless.

As I began to relax into his caress, I felt more tears slide down my face. I began to wonder how many tears I was actually capable of crying before I dried up completely.

"Rick." My voice was soft and shaky, clearly showing how much he was affecting me.

He pulled back in an instant. "Oh, Kate I'm so sorry. Josh." He shook his head and looked away to hide his embarrassment. "I'll just..."

He stopped, pulling away. I swallowed, wishing I had told him earlier about Josh. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, needing his support.

"Rick, Josh and I..." I couldn't look him in the eye, for some reason. I realized I feared the glimmer of hope that I could feel grow in his eyes. The thought of how dearly he cared for me, of how much he was willing to sacrifice for me scared me. It absolutely terrified me.

He waited, barely breathing. I cleared my throat.

"Josh and I aren't seeing each other anymore."

It came out a whisper and I finally looked up to meet his gaze.

His eyes locked onto mine, his gaze betraying the mixed emotions he was feeling. Shock, remorse, confusion, and something else, something similar to optimism. He restrained himself and mumbled a few words.

"Kate I'm sorry. Why?"

I shrugged, trying not to make it a big deal. "He's never around. I'm not patient enough to wait for him every time. And he, um, read your books. Finally. Of course he thought the worst, and we argued, and that was that. There's no bad blood, there's just...nothing there anymore. I care for him, just, not enough."

He stayed silent throughout my speech. His eyes were soft, full of pain and regret.

"I'm so sorry Kate. I never meant..." He trailed off, his voice sad.

"Don't be. It's alright." I shrugged.

His fingertips brushed my jaw, the move so tender and sincere that I felt butterflies flutter through my stomach. My lip quivered.

Castle's eyes were so full of emotion that they pulled me in, taking me on a whirlwind journey through his thoughts. I could feel something there in his eyes, something special that I couldn't quite name and I was too scared to address just yet. It was that something that I kept denying was there and kept pushing away.

Suddenly, his lips were on mine and I froze. He stayed still, holding me softly as his lips gently trailed across mine. He realized I was unresponsive and he pulled back, looking at me with what almost seemed like desperation.

"Kate, I'm sorry, I just..."

His word faltered as I pushed up hard against him, my lips locking with his in an instant as I threw my doubts to the wind. We kissed passionately, our tongues battling for dominance.

I heard a moan and wondered briefly where it came from. It took me a moment to realize that it was coming from my mouth, soft cries and breathy gasps were sounding between each kiss as we parted to draw air before coming together again.

His arms wrapped around me, holding me closer, pressing me flush against his body.

Castle pressed his lips to my jaw, before moving along under my ear and down my neck. He found my pulse point and kissed it, before trailing down to my collarbone.

His hands were running along my sides, making me shiver. He gently slid a hand under my shirt, rubbing my bare skin. His fingers skimmed all the way up my back and I felt goosebumps ripple across my flesh. His other hand gently pushed the top of my tee off my shoulder and he kissed the newly bared skin he found there.

He gently kissed his way up my neck again before finding my lips. Our tongues met again and we kissed until I had no choice but to part to breathe.

I nuzzled into his neck, gently nipping just below his ear. As his hands slipped up my shirt and drifted upwards, my phone began to ring.

I cursed softly and closed my eyes, savouring the moment. I drew back a bit and met his eyes. They were full of passion and longing, but also tenderness and affection. They twinkled as the faint trace of an almost mischievous smile graced his lips and he winked at me.

"Better get that, Detective." His voice was low and husky and I tried my hardest to remain unfazed, while inside I was a volatile mix of lust, passion and desire.

I grabbed my phone and answered with a sharp tone.

"Beckett."

Castle struggled to eavesdrop while Esposito told me the location of the body.

"Sorry to wake you Beckett, I know yesterday was rough." Esposito's voice was strangely soft, and I knew he truly meant it. We had all taken a shock when we realized who the real killer was, but the rest of the team seemed to understand how badly I'd taken it.

"It's okay Esposito, I'll see you soon."

I ended the call and threw the phone onto the bed.

"We have a body."

Castle smirked a bit. "I gathered."

My skin prickled as he let his gaze wander over my body. I suddenly realized that I was wearing only underwear and an oversized tee, my normal bed attire. No bra. No pants.

I felt my heart rate increase as he stepped closer, still admiring my body. I felt suddenly vulnerable; I knew that my nipples had hardened under his gaze and the shirt I was wearing was thin.

He kissed my neck, under my ear, my cheek, before finding my lips once more. His hand slipped up my shirt.

I moaned as he ran a thumb over my nipple, making the fire in my belly stir.

He kissed my ear before whispering into it.

"We should go get ready."

I nodded, trying to focus. His lips brushed my neck and his warm hand moved to my other breast and I lost my train of thought once again.

"After all." Kiss. "I only came in." Kiss. "Pajamas." Kiss. "Not even." Kiss. "Wearing shoes." Kiss.

I registered what he was saying. He had to go. We couldn't go to the precinct like this.

"Castle, we have to..." I ended in a moan as he pressed his body flush to mine, slipping his leg between my thighs. His lips found mine again and I gasped at the intensity of the kiss.

I knew that if we didn't stop then, we wouldn't be able to, and on top of that, Esposito, Ryan and Lanie were all already at the crime seen. Each of them knew I was not the one to be late.

I pushed him to arms distance, already missing him.

He looked alarmed and raised his arms above his head as though I was going to shoot him. He instantly started talking, his words coming out in a jumble.

"I'm sorry! Kate, I didn't mean too, I know I pushed it too far, and this is way too fast..."

I shook my head, biting my lip softly, a cheeky grin spreading across my face. "Castle, it's okay. But not now, we have a case. And if I hadn't pushed you away, we would never get there." I paused, smirking. "Or at least, not in any fit state to work in."

I walked past him, kissing him tenderly on the cheek before opening the door for him.

"Beckett you're such a tease!" He whined, stopping in front of me with his usual childish smirk on his face. I grinned and pecked him chastely on the lips.

He slipped his hand behind my neck and pulled me closer to capture my lips in another breathtaking kiss. I smiled and he broke apart, resting his forehead against mine.

"Thank you." I whispered, as we stayed together for a moment longer.

"Always." He whispered back before stepping out the door.

I smiled, before stepping out too.

"Oh, and Castle." I called.

He turned around, his trademark grin back in place. "Yes Detective?"

I smirked. "You had better not forget my coffee."


End file.
